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Rescue Men: The Story of the Pea Island Life Savers

When: Fri., May 7, 7 p.m. 2010Price: $5 advance, $7 at the door

On a storm-tossed night on the North Carolina coast in 1896, a bold group of rescuers saved the crew of a boat that had been rendered useless in the graveyard of the Atlantic. The rescuers battled the wind and waves and became famous in the process. What makes the story of continuing historical interest is that the rescuers were an all-black crew attached to the U.S. Life-Saving Service, which would become the U.S. Coast Guard. Visitors on their First Friday rounds should check out tonight's special screening, which begins at 7 p.m. Director Allan R. Smith will be in attendance to take questions afterward. And, if you're headed to Ocracoke tomorrow, you can also catch the unveiling of a bronze statue of Richard Etheridge, the commander of the rescue team. —David Fellerath